Caroline Griffiths, Guest Contributor
Here in Humboldt County, a whopping 73 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation. Additionally, according to the draft Regional Climate Action Plan, “Approximately 40 percent of the Humboldt population is either at or below the 80th percentile of the statewide median income, categorizing them as low income and increasing their social vulnerability to climate change.” What if there was a way to lower emissions and help those who are most vulnerable to climate change? Luckily there is a simple machine, invented in the early 1800s, that is up to the challenge. I’m talking about our trusty friend the bicycle.
Although that might sound simplistic, shifting how we get around can have a big impact not only on our environment, but on quality of life and local culture. As Colin Fiske mentions on page ___, there are numerous (but not insurmountable) infrastructure challenges to getting more people out of their personal cars and onto human-powered vehicles. But another barrier to biking is cultural. Many folks have a picture in their mind when they think “cyclist” that makes them think they need lots of fancy gear to ride a bike. Or they make an assumption that people only get around by bike if they can’t afford a car, which often adds an additional stigma for those who transport themselves on two wheels.
The truth is that people get around by bike for all sorts of reasons, whether out of necessity, political conviction, or pure enjoyment. Unfortunately these assumptions about biking, and the strong pull of car-supremacy, often lead people to think that biking is not for them.
It’s with these challenges in mind that the NEC—along with our friends at Coalition for Responsible Transportation Priorities and local bike shop Moon Cycles—started our Bike Justice Humboldt project in early 2023 with a Whale Tail grant from the California Coastal Commission. Shifting modes of transportation requires more than just better bike lanes and safer streets; folks also need to feel welcomed and supported in their journey away from car-dependency. Our bike rides have focused on building community amongst cyclists of all skill levels, increasing awareness of transportation infrastructure and how to influence it, learning the basic maintenance skills to keep our beloved bikes working, and, of course, appreciating the natural world that we are fully immersed in when getting around by bike.
Throughout the last two years, we hosted 16 rides and workshops in which 144 people learned basic bicycle maintenance skills, observed king tides, learned about edible and medicinal plants and watched birds in ways that just aren’t possible when speeding around encased in a steel cage. Participants shared the challenges and joys they have experienced on bikes, building camaraderie around a shared love of movement and nature. We talked about the way we feel when riding (powerful, connected, strong, but sometimes afraid) and shared our dreams for more bike-friendly communities. Although this grant from the Coastal Commission has wrapped up, we hope to keep hosting rides and workshops and building bike culture in our community, so stay tuned for more pedal-powered opportunities.